Course Timetable for Friday: Fall of 2014

Morning Courses

9:00 to 11:00

Introduction to Homiletics is a one-semester course that gives students the opportunity to look at the theology, tradition and practice of Catholic preaching. Students will examine particular questions, issues and challenges in homiletics from a Catholic perspective, survey the development of preaching throughout Church history, determine how Roman Catholic preaching can be informed by the theory and practice in other traditions, and articulate the characteristics of good preaching. This course is a prerequisite for Advanced Homiletics. Lectures, online postings, presentations, interviews and papers.

The Psalter can be viewed as a distillation of Israel's history, spirituality, liturgy, wisdom, Torah and messianic hopes. This course will examine some of the key elements of Hebrew poetry exemplified by the Psalms. In the study of the Psalms according to their literary forms or genres, their unique poetic and thematic features will be highlighted. Some consideration will be given to thematic groupings of Psalms such as Creation Psalms and Penitential Psalms. The spirituality of the Psalms will be explored both through Patristic literature and modern authors. This course will consider the messianic and Christological reading of the Psalms. Pre-requisite: Introduction to the Old Testament.

09:30 to 16:00

This course, set in an interactive seminar format, will explore and frame our understanding of the Church as missional. Beginning with the biblical underpinnings of missional thinking we will consider the local church, in conjunction with our historic 'attractional' sense of place, core purposes of the local church and the requisite theological understandings undergirding effective ministry will be explored. Located in the Canadian church context, it will be vital to consider the missional use of buildings and property, the use of technology as a tool for mission and the realities of current church structures and organization with respect to missional thinking.

10:00 to 13:00

Theological disagreements on particular moral issues often reflect underlying but unnoticed differences on the more general question of how a theologian properly makes any moral judgment. This course draws on the writings of Bernard Lonergan to explore both (i) that more general question and (ii) current theological disagreements on two particular issues of sexual morality, namely, contraceptive acts and homosexual acts. Previous familiarity with Lonergan's work is helpful but not required. Readings include selections from Lonergan's writings and Vatican documents. Weekly discussion preparation and participation, four one-page reflections, final paper, and take-home exam.

11:00 to 13:00

Introduction to sacraments in general, historical and systematic study of sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist) with special consideration of the pastoral viewpoint. Three short papers, seminars, final exam.

In this course, we will look at some of the central problems of epistemology: What is knowledge? How do we get it? Exactly what do we know, anyway? How does knowledge differ from belief? And how do we respond to the challenges of scepticism and post-modernism? After starting with a historical survey of the answers to these questions, we will examine the answers proposed by the Jesuit theologian Bernard Lonergan.

The course will involve close-reading of the Hebrew Text of the Book of Zechariah. Secondary readings in historical-critical studies of Zechariah will be required and students will be asked to evaluate critically these studies (including newer commentaries in English and German). Zechariah's place in recent analysis of the Book of the Twelve will also be examined. Finally, students will be exposed to pre-critical reading of Zechariah and the hermeneutical issues related to Zechariah's use in the New Testament and in Jewish and Christian Interpretation. Seminar format. Class participation, major paper.

Schedule: Tuesday, Friday, 11:00 to 13:00Schedule Notes: Class meets twice a week for six weeks mid Sept to end of Oct( dates TBA)Instructors:Christopher SeitzOther Information: First Semester · One Credit

Afternoon Courses

13:00 to 16:00

In this course, students acquire skills of reflexive praxis rooted in Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy as a foundation for engaging in professional ministry in the Church. The student is invited to appropriate personal practices and professional guidelines for ministry within a theological framework, thereby beginning the process of articulating a personal vision of ministry that is grounded in Scripture, Tradition and personal experiences of vocation.

17:00 to 20:00

Ecclesiology embraces the study of the story, nature, self-understanding, hopes, achievements and failings of the church. This class will explore the Inter-relation between ecclesiology, ethics, and community In recent times and our current age. It will focus primarily, but not exclusively on the Roman Catholic Church, although it will examine issues of wider ecclesial relevance, as well.

Ecclesiology embraces the study of the story, nature, self-understanding, hopes, achievements and failings of the church. This class will explore the Inter-relation between ecclesiology, ethics, and community In recent times and our current age. It will focus primarily, but not exclusively on the Roman Catholic Church, although it will examine issues of wider ecclesial relevance, as well.